{"id":43839,"date":"2020-05-02T12:14:56","date_gmt":"2020-05-02T09:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/192.163.207.100\/~timesku1\/news\/?p=43839"},"modified":"2020-05-02T12:29:08","modified_gmt":"2020-05-02T09:29:08","slug":"fasting-for-healthy-ramadan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timeskuwait.com\/news\/fasting-for-healthy-ramadan\/","title":{"rendered":"Fasting for a Healthy Ramadan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018One of the healthiest thing a person can do in his life is fasting\u2019<\/p>\n

Billions of Muslims are fasting from dawn till dusk as part of their declaration of faith during Ramadan.<\/p>\n

The intermittent type of fasting what we observe during the Ramadan is considered to be one of the healthiest lifestyles.<\/p>\n

Medical benefits of Ramadan<\/p>\n

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  1. Physiological benefits<\/li>\n
  2. Psychological benefits<\/li>\n
  3. Spiritual benefits<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The human cell is made up of protein, carbohydrates and lipid apart from water. Our body’s first order energy source\/fuel is glucose when we starve brain gets the energy from ketone bodies instead of glucose. Ketone bodies are the simple form of lipid substances whereas glucose is a basic unit of carbohydrates.<\/p>\n

    Physiological benefits:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Effect on our brain and nervous system<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Our brain switches the energy source from glucose to ketone bodies in Ramadan, Muslims go through the cycle every day by fasting in daylight. Fasting teaches the cell to develop a new metabolic pathway to deal with cellular stress, enhance cognition, motor performance and protect the neurons from dysfunction and degeneration.<\/p>\n

    The same study gives some evidence-based benefits of fasting such stroke prevention, Alzheimer’s disease prevention, Parkinson’s disease prevention and stress-related injury to the brain and spinal cord and epilepsy are remarkably prevented by fasting.<\/p>\n

    How does fasting improve the memory and intelligence<\/strong><\/p>\n

    This phenomenon was published in the Nature neuroscience as an intermittent metabolic switching mechanism which is a basic phenomenon of the brain to promote the intelligence and brain memory formation associated with the hippocampus (part of the brain) so parents without fear teach your kids to observe fasting. <\/strong><\/p>\n

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    Weight loss and insulin sensitivity<\/strong><\/p>\n

    A study published in \u2018Nature\u2019 says, intermittent energy restriction improves weight loss efficiency in obese men compare to continuous energy restriction.<\/p>\n

    One of the publications in Lancet shows calorie restriction to 825 calories per day provides more efficiency in controlling the blood pressure in a hypertensive patient and sugar in a diabetic patient better than the conventional treatment.<\/p>\n

    The \u2018primary care\u2019 led weight management study supports the above-mentioned observation. In other words 46 per cent total cohort treated with only 825 calories per day for 3 to 5 months period shows 46 per cent total body weight loss.<\/p>\n

    The weight loss and resistant exercise are the cardinal steps to increase the insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes and reverse the metabolic syndrome in which insulin resistance continuously increases. Moreover, as the blood pressure reaches the borderline (140\/90 mm Hg) and the triglycerides concentration increases along with waist circumference, 40 inches (100cm) in men and 35 inches (90cm) in women. The metabolic syndrome is proven to be related to cardiac problems. The body shape is described in metabolic syndrome as a male with apple shape and female with pear shape.<\/p>\n

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    Many aspects of metabolic composition of blood improves with fasting related weight loss for instance the level of glucose in the blood, lipid components including triglycerides and Insulin. Meanwhile, the energy expenditure of the body decreases- breathing and heart rate slows down and blood pressure drops to optimum level and eventually the digestive system goes into the state of onset.<\/p>\n

    \u2018Overall the fasting improves our heart\u2019s health\u2019<\/p>\n

    The effect in our digestive system<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Our digestive system contains the numbers of gut flora; these are a complex community of microorganisms. These microbes are mainly bacterias which play a key role in our metabolism and general health. It\u2019s proven that fasting stage improves the gut flora thus improves the work efficiency of the digestive system.<\/p>\n

    Happy hormone secretion during fasting.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Another study proves the endorphin secretion (the happy hormone) increases during the exercise and fasting stages, it makes us happy so fasting can prevent depression<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    In the state of starvation, the body triggers the sets of hormonal regulation and changes that metabolites the body’s reserves. This self-regulatory mechanism produces a therapeutic effect. Overall, well-being of the body improves.<\/p>\n

    Immunity enhancement with fasting <\/strong><\/p>\n

    The Fasting stage boosts our immunity and enhances the healing ability of the body, this evidence base study promises us to have an additional protective layer from the current COVID 19 pandemic. The immunity improves with the increasing number of hours of fasting.<\/p>\n

    Fasting in cancer cells <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Starvation (Fasting) is related to cancer prevention and enhance the chemotherapy treatment. One study shows fasting protects mice from the lethal DNA damage and also DNA get repairs rapidly after the fasting hours and the fasting stage relieves the oxidative stress of the body.<\/p>\n

    How to achieve healthy Ramadan<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The purpose of Ramadan and its principal should be carefully maintained after breaking of fast (\u2018Futoor\u2019) such as healthy diet habit at the time of breaking of fast and until dawn (\u2018Suhoor\u2019) along with well-structured exercises.<\/p>\n

    The people on medication for chronic diseases such as diabetic, hypertension and dyslipidemia (cholesterol) should seek medical advices to modify their treatment and eligibility for observe fasting.<\/p>\n

    The plenty of water and fluid (healthy drinks) intake are one of the main streams to get rid of dehydration in the fasting hours.<\/p>\n

    The dawn meals are vital better to delay as much as possible and add some protein and fat in the \u2018Suhoor\u2019 platter which will sustain for a long time in the body and provide adequate strength to fast without much tired.<\/p>\n

    How to prevent the Ramadan related uneasiness <\/strong><\/p>\n